- Date
- July 23, 2015, 19:25 local (23:25 UTC)
- Place
- Apopka, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N704SBCessna 150M
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Orlando FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150723014849A
- Case key
- 91749
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Following a bird strike during takeoff, the pilot's decision to land without sufficient runway remaining to safely stop the airplane, which resulted in an over-run, collision with terrain, and nose over.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During the takeoff following a touch-and-go landing, a flight of birds flew in front of the airplane and caused a bird strike on the right side of the airplane. The pilot aborted the takeoff, landed on the runway, and was unable to stop as he reported there was "no runway distance for safe landing." The airplane departed the end of the runway, impacted terrain, and nosed over. The airplane sustained minor damage from the bird strike, and substantial damage to the fuselage and to the empennage during the accident. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
During the takeoff following a touch-and-go landing, a flight of birds flew in front of the airplane and caused a bird strike on the ride side of the airplane. The pilot aborted the takeoff, landed on the runway, and was unable to stop as he reported there was "no runway distance for safe landing." The airplane departed the end of the runway, impacted terrain, and nosed over. The airplane sustained minor damage from the bird strike, and substantial damage to the fuselage and to the empennage during the accident. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N704SB
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078828
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 4,750
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200 SERIES, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Heartland Fliers, LLC
- Registered owner
- Shane Fisher
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 5, 2015
- Departed
- ORL · Orlando, FL
- Destination
- ORL · Orlando, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- X04 · Orlando Apopka, runway 33, 3,987 × 60 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 6,200 total · 1,150 in this make and model · 5,600 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KLEE, 14 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 11, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N704SB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.